St jean chrysostome rachmaninov biography

John Chrysostom

Church Father, Archbishop of Constantinople and Christian celestial being (c. 347 – 407)

This article is about nobility Christian saint. For other uses, see Chrysostomos (disambiguation).

Saint


John Chrysostom

A Byzantine mosaic of John Chrysostom
from the Hagia Sophia

Bornc. 347[a]
Antioch, Roman Syria, Roman Empire
Died14 Sept 407
Comana, Diocese of Pontus, Roman Empire
Venerated in
CanonizedPre-congregational
Feast
AttributesVested as pure bishop, holding a Gospel Book or scroll, free from blame hand raised in blessing. He is depicted chimpanzee emaciated from fasting, with a high forehead, balding with dark hair and a small beard. Symbols: beehive, a white dove, a pan, chalice realize a bible, pen and inkhorn[citation needed]
PatronageConstantinople, education, epilepsy, lecturers, public speakers,[3]preachers[4]

John Chrysostom (; Greek: Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος, Latin: Ioannes Chrysostomus; c. 347 – 14 September 407)[5] was an important Early Church Father who served chimpanzee Archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for coronet preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of castigation of authority by both ecclesiastical and political influential, his Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, settle down his ascetic sensibilities. The epithet Χρυσόστομος (Chrysostomos, anglicized as Chrysostom) means "golden-mouthed" in Greek and denotes his celebrated eloquence.[7] Chrysostom was among the uppermost prolific authors in the early Christian Church.

He is honored as a saint in the Easterly Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, as well as in some others. The Asian Orthodox, together with the ByzantineCatholics, hold him mud special regard as one of the Three Devotional Hierarchs (alongside Basil the Great and Gregory on the way out Nazianzus). Along with them and Athanasius of Port he is also regarded as one of probity four Great Greek Church Fathers[8] The feast cycle of John Chrysostom in the Eastern Orthodox Sanctuary are 14 September, 13 November and 27 Jan. In the Catholic Church, he is recognized hoot a Doctor of the Church. Because the traditional of his death is occupied by the treat of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 September), the General Roman Calendar celebrates him thanks to 1970 on the previous day, 13 September; escape the 13th century to 1969 it did tolerable on 27 January, the anniversary of the rendering of his body to Constantinople.[9] Of other Colour churches, including Anglican provinces and Lutheran churches, sizeable commemorate him on 13 September, others on 27 January. John Chrysostom is honored on the calendars of the Church of England and the Hieratic Church on 13 September.[10][11] The Coptic Church further recognizes him as a saint (with feast times on 16 Thout and 17 Hathor).[12]

Biography

Early life

John was born in Antioch, Roman Syria (modern-day Antakya, Hatay, Turkey) in 347.[13][14][15] Different scholars describe his jocular mater Anthusa as a pagan or as a Christian.[16] His father was a high-ranking military officer. John's father died soon after his birth and noteworthy was raised by his mother. He was baptized in 368 or 373,[b] and tonsured as a- reader (one of the minor orders of interpretation Church). It is sometimes said that he was bitten by a snake when he was shout years old, resulting in infection from the nip.

As a result of his mother's influential relations in the city, John began his education botchup the pagan preacher Libanius.[17] From Libanius, John obtained the skills for a career in rhetoric, introduce well as a love of the Greek idiolect and literature. Eventually, he became a lawyer.

As he grew older, however, John became more from the bottom of one` committed to Christianity and went on to read theology under Diodorus of Tarsus, founder of picture re-constituted School of Antioch. According to the Christlike historian Sozomen, Libanius was supposed to have articulated on his deathbed that John would have archaic his successor "if the Christians had not 1 him from us".[19]

John lived in extreme asceticism careful became a hermit in about 375; he prostrate the next two years continually standing, scarcely fast asleep, and committing the Bible to memory. As expert consequence of these practices, his stomach and kidneys were permanently damaged and poor health forced him to return to Antioch.[20]

Diaconate and service in Antioch

Further information: Meletian schism

John was first appointed as uncluttered reader in the church of Antioch by Philosopher of Verona upon the latter's return from Jerusalem. Later, he was ordained as a deacon mull it over 381 by the bishop Meletius of Antioch who was not then in communion with Alexandria essential Rome. After the death of Meletius, John parted himself from the followers of Meletius, without connexion Paulinus II of Antioch, the rival of Meletius for the bishopric of Antioch. But after blue blood the gentry death of Paulinus II (388) he was enforced a presbyter (priest) by Evagrius of Antioch, greatness successor of Paulinus by the Eustathius of Antakya faction in the city.[21] He was destined after to bring about reconciliation between Flavian I unravel Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome, thus bringing those couple sees into communion for the first time predicament nearly seventy years.[22]

In Antioch, over the track of twelve years (386–397), John gained popularity thanks to of the eloquence of his public speaking kismet the Golden Church, Antioch's cathedral, especially his fussy expositions of Bible passages and moral teaching. Goodness most valuable of his works from this edit are his homilies on various books of position Bible. He emphasised charitable giving and was responsible with the spiritual and temporal needs of illustriousness poor. He spoke against abuse of wealth with the addition of personal property:

Do you wish to honour the reason of Christ? Do not ignore him when bankruptcy is naked. Do not pay him homage come by the temple clad in silk, only then tell the difference neglect him outside where he is cold jaunt ill-clad. He who said: "This is my body" is the same who said: "You saw keep amused hungry and you gave me no food", stall "Whatever you did to the least of nutty brothers you did also to me"... What circus is it if the Eucharistic table is congested with golden chalices when your brother is burning of hunger? Start by satisfying his hunger pointer then with what is left you may crown the altar as well.[23]

His straightforward understanding of ethics Scriptures – in contrast to the Alexandrian see towards allegorical interpretation – meant that the themes of his talks were practical, explaining the Bible's application to everyday life. Such straightforward preaching helped Chrysostom to garner popular support.

One incident that event during his service in Antioch illustrates the emphasis of his homilies. When Chrysostom arrived in Town, Flavian, the bishop of the city, had unobtrusively intervene with emperor Theodosius I on behalf honor citizens who had gone on a rampage mutilating statues of the emperor and his family. Generous the weeks of Lent in 387, John preached more than twenty homilies in which he entreated the people to see the error of their ways. These made a lasting impression on character general population of the city: many pagans convince to Christianity as a result of the homilies. The city was ultimately spared from severe consequences.

Archbishop of Constantinople

Main article: Origenist Crises

In the autumn be proper of 397, John was appointed archbishop of Constantinople, fend for having been nominated without his knowledge by say publicly eunuchEutropius. He had to leave Antioch in concealed due to fears that the departure of much a popular figure would cause civil unrest.[24]

During her majesty time as archbishop, he adamantly refused to landlady lavish social gatherings, which made him popular condemnation the common people, but unpopular with wealthy humans and the clergy. His reforms of the the cloth were also unpopular. He told visiting regional preachers to return to the churches they were designed to be serving – without any pay-out.[25] Unquestionable also founded a number of hospitals in Constantinople.[26][27]

His time in Constantinople was more tumultuous than dominion time in Antioch. Theophilus, the patriarch of City, wanted to bring Constantinople under his sway existing opposed John's appointment to Constantinople. Theophilus had gentle four Egyptianmonks (known as "the Tall Brothers") plough up their support of Origen's teachings. They fled be against John and were welcomed by him. Theophilus thus accused John of being too partial to rendering teaching of Origen. He made another enemy coop Aelia Eudoxia, wife of emperor Arcadius, who implied that John's denunciations of extravagance in feminine coating were aimed at her. Eudoxia, Theophilus and bug of his enemies held a synod in 403 (the Synod of the Oak) to charge Privy, in which his connection to Origen was euphemistic pre-owned against him. It resulted in his deposition added banishment. He was called back by Arcadius near immediately, as the people became "tumultuous" over circlet departure, even threatening to burn the imperial palace.[28] There was an earthquake the night of rulership arrest, which Eudoxia took for a sign run through God's anger, prompting her to ask Arcadius suggest John's reinstatement.[29]

Peace was short-lived. A silver statue summarize Eudoxia was erected in the Augustaion, near government cathedral, the Constantinian Hagia Sophia. John denounced birth dedication ceremonies as pagan and spoke against glory empress in harsh terms: "Again Herodias raves, come again she dances, and again desires to receive John's head on a charger",[30] an allusion to blue blood the gentry events surrounding the death of John the Protestant. Once again he was banished, this time cork the Caucasus in Abkhazia.[31] His banishment sparked riots among his supporters in the capital, and lid the fighting the cathedral built by Constantius II was burnt down, necessitating the construction of blue blood the gentry second cathedral on the site, the Theodosian Hagia Sophia.

Around 405, John began to lend honest and financial support to Christian monks who were enforcing the emperors' anti-pagan laws, by destroying temples and shrines in Phoenicia and nearby regions.[32]

Exile present-day death

The causes of John's exile are not cloudless, though Jennifer Barry suggests that they have interrupt do with his connections to Arianism. Other historians, including Wendy Mayer and Geoffrey Dunn, have argued that "the surplus of evidence reveals a twist between Johannite and anti-Johannite camps in Constantinople betimes after John's departure and for a few eld after his death".[33] Faced with exile, John Chrysostom wrote an appeal for help to three churchmen: Pope Innocent I; Venerius, the bishop of Mediolanum (Milan); and Chromatius, the bishop of Aquileia.[34][35][36] Razorsharp 1872, church historian William Stephens wrote:

The of the Eastern Rome appeals to the large bishops of the West, as the champions behove an ecclesiastical discipline which he confesses himself not able to enforce or to see any prospect flawless establishing. No jealousy is entertained of the Elder statesman of the Old Rome by the patriarch goods the New Rome. The interference of Innocent denunciation courted, a certain primacy is accorded him, on the other hand at the same time he is not addressed as a supreme arbitrator; assistance and sympathy splinter solicited from him as from an elder fellow, and two other prelates of Italy are seam recipients with him of the appeal.[37]

Pope Innocent Unrestrainable protested John's banishment from Constantinople to the region of Cucusus (Göksun) in Cappadocia, but to ham-fisted avail. Innocent sent a delegation to intercede class behalf of John in 405. It was boisterous by Gaudentius of Brescia; Gaudentius and his court, two bishops, encountered many difficulties and never reached their goal of entering Constantinople.[38]

John wrote letters which still held great influence in Constantinople. As span result of this, he was further exiled getaway Cucusus (where he stayed from 404 to 407) to Pitiunt (Pityus) (in modern Georgia). He not in any way reached this destination alive, as he died bulldoze Comana Pontica (modern-day Gümenek, Tokat, Turkey) on 14 September 407 during the journey.[39] He died spartan the Presbyterium or community of the clergy association to the church of Saint Basiliscus of Comana. His last words are said to have back number "Δόξα τῷ Θεῷ πάντων ἕνεκεν" ("Glory be run into God for all things").[41]

Veneration and canonization

John came constitute be venerated as a saint soon after top death. Almost immediately after, an anonymous supporter lady John (known as pseudo-Martyrius) wrote a funeral stable to reclaim John as a symbol of Christianly orthodoxy.[33] But three decades later, some of potentate adherents in Constantinople remained in schism.[42]Proclus, archbishop identical Constantinople (434–446), hoping to bring about the pacification of the Johannites, preached a homily praising wreath predecessor in the Church of Hagia Sophia. Put your feet up said, "O John, your life was filled top sorrow, but your death was glorious. Your august is blessed and reward is great, by excellence grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Baron god O graced one, having conquered the bounds apply time and place! Love has conquered space, unforgetting memory has annihilated the limits, and place does not hinder the miracles of the saint."[43]

These homilies helped to mobilize public opinion, and the pre-eminent received permission from the emperor to return Chrysostom's relics to Constantinople, where they were enshrined barred enclosure the Church of the Holy Apostles on 28 January 438. The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates him as a "Great Ecumenical Teacher", with Basil goodness Great and Gregory the Theologian. These three saints, in addition to having their own individual commemorations throughout the year, are commemorated together on 30 January, a feast known as the Synaxis nominate the Three Hierarchs.[44]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church almost are several feast days dedicated to him:

  • 27 January, Translation of the relics of Saint Ablutions Chrysostom from Comana to Constantinople.[45]
  • 30 January, Synaxis run through the Three Great Hierarchs.[46]
  • 14 September, Repose of Beauty John Chrysostom.[47]
  • 13 November, celebration was transferred from 14 September by the 10th century AD as goodness Exaltation of the Holy Cross became more prominent.[48] According to Brian Croke, 13 November is rectitude date news of John Chrysostom's death reached Constantinople.[49]

In 1908 Pope Pius X named him the angel saint of preachers.[4]

Writings

Some 700 sermons and 246 longhand by John Chrysostom survive, plus biblical commentaries, unremitting discourses, and theological treatises.[citation needed]

Homilies

Paschal Homily

The best indepth of his many homilies is an extremely tiny one, the Paschal Homily (Hieratikon), which is get at the first service of Pascha (Easter), loftiness midnight Orthros (Matins), in the Eastern Orthodox Church.[50]

General

Chrysostom's extant homiletical works are vast, including many grade of exegetical homilies on both the New Witness (especially the works of Paul the Apostle) become peaceful the Old Testament (particularly on Genesis). Among coronet exegetical works are sixty-seven homilies on Genesis, ilx on the Psalms, ninety on the Gospel cosy up Matthew, eighty-eight on the Gospel of John, pointer fifty-five on the Acts of the Apostles.

The homilies were written down by stenographers and subsequently circulated, revealing a style that tended to be channel and greatly personal, but formed by the expressive conventions of his time and place.[51] In common, his homiletical theology displays much characteristic of greatness Antiochian school (i.e., more literal in interpreting scriptural events), but he also uses a good agreement of the allegorical interpretation more associated with magnanimity Alexandrian school.

John's social and religious world was cluedup by the continuing and pervasive presence of heathenism in the life of the city. One delightful his regular topics was the paganism in leadership culture of Constantinople, and in his homilies take steps thunders against popular pagan amusements: the theatre, horseraces, and the revelry surrounding holidays. In particular, significant criticizes Christians for taking part in such activities:

If you ask [Christians] who is Amos atmosphere Obadiah, how many apostles there were or psychic, they stand mute; but if you ask them about the horses or drivers, they answer obey more solemnity than sophists or rhetors.

One pleasant the recurring features of John's homilies is potentate emphasis on care for the needy.[53] Echoing themes found in the Gospel of Matthew, he calls upon the rich to lay aside materialism attach favor of helping the poor, often employing employment of his rhetorical skills to shame wealthy children to abandon conspicuous consumption:

Do you pay much honor to your excrements as to receive them into a silver chamber-pot when another man prefabricated in the image of God is perishing expect the cold?[54]

Along these lines, he wrote ofttimes about the need for almsgiving and its value alongside fasting and prayer, e.g. "prayer without almsgiving is unfruitful".[55]

Cyril of Alexandria attributed the destruction chastisement the EphesianTemple of Artemis to John Chrysostom, referring to him as "the destroyer of the demons and overthrower of the temple of Diana". Uncluttered later Archbishop of Constantinople, Proclus of Constantinople continual the allegation, saying "In Ephesus, he despoiled integrity art of Midas". Both claims are considered spurious.[56]

Homilies against Jews and Judaizing Christians

Main article: Adversus Judaeos

During his first two years as a presbyter seep out Antioch (386–387), John denounced Jews and Christians look a series of eight homilies delivered to Christians in his congregation who were taking part satisfaction Jewish festivals and other Jewish observances.[58] It pump up disputed whether the main targets were specifically character so called "Judaizers" or Jews in general. Dominion homilies were expressed in the conventional manner, throw away the uncompromising rhetorical form known as the psogos (Greek: blame, censure).

One of the purposes of these homilies was to prevent Christians from participating entice Jewish customs, and thus prevent the perceived chafing of Chrysostom's flock. In his homilies, John criticized those "Judaizing Christians", who were participating in Mortal festivals and taking part in other Jewish observances, such as the shabbat, submitted to circumcision opinion made pilgrimage to Jewish holy places. There abstruse been a revival of Jewish faith and broadmindedness in Antioch in 361, so Chrysostom's followers careful the greater Christian community were in contact board Jews frequently, and Chrysostom was concerned that that interaction would draw Christians away from their devoutness identity.[59]

John claimed that synagogues were full of Christians, especially Christian women, on the shabbats and Person festivals, because they loved the solemnity of integrity Jewish liturgy and enjoyed listening to the shophar on Rosh Hashanah, and applauded famous preachers change into accordance with the contemporary custom.[60] Due to Chrysostom's stature in the Christian church, both locally snowball within the greater church hierarchy, his sermons were fairly successful in spreading anti-Jewish sentiment.

In Hellenic, the homilies are called Kata Ioudaiōn (Κατὰ Ἰουδαίων), which is translated as Adversus Judaeos in Exemplary and "Against the Jews" in English.[61] The fresh Benedictine editor of the homilies, Bernard de Montfaucon, gives the following footnote to the title: "A discourse against the Jews; but it was without charge against those who were Judaizing and keeping primacy fasts with them [the Jews]".[61]

According to Patristics scholars, opposition to any particular view during the resuscitate 4th century was conventionally expressed in a method, using the rhetorical form known as the psogos, whose literary conventions were to vilify opponents affront an uncompromising manner; thus, it has been argued that to call Chrysostom an "anti-Semite" is accomplish employ anachronistic terminology in a way incongruous allow historical context and record. This does not check assertions that Chrysostom's theology was a form admonishment anti-Jewish supersessionism.[63]

His sermons against Jews gave further hurry to the idea that Jews are collectively solid for the death of Jesus.[64]

Homily against homosexuality

John Chrysostom's most notable discourse in this regard is dominion fourth homily on Romans 1:26,[65] where he argues as follows:

All these affections then were bad, but chiefly the mad lust after males; put the soul is more the sufferer in sins, and more dishonored, than the body in diseases. ... [The men] have done an insult cause problems nature itself. And a yet more disgraceful tool than these is it, when even the troop seek after these intercourses, who ought to conspiracy more sense of shame than men.[66]

He says honesty active male victimizes the passive male in expert way that leaves him more enduringly dishonored leave speechless even a victim of murder since the sacrifice of this act must "live under" the colour of the "insolency".[66] The victim of a homicide, by contrast, carries no dishonor. He asserts go off punishment will be found in Hell for specified transgressors and that women can be guilty model the sin as much as men. Chrysostom argues that the male passive partner has effectively forfeit his manhood and become a woman – much an individual deserves to be "driven out become peaceful stoned". He attributes the cause to "luxury". "Do not, he means (Paul), because you have heard that they burned, suppose that the evil was only in desire. For the greater part possess it came of their luxuriousness, which also enkindled into flame their lust".[66]

According to scholar Michael Carden, Chrysostom was particularly influential in shaping early Christlike thought that same-sex desire was an evil, claiming that he altered a traditional interpretation of Metropolis as a place of inhospitality to one to what place the sexual transgressions of the Sodomites became paramount.[67] However, other scholars – such as Kruger[68] attend to Nortjé-Meyer[69] – dispute this, arguing that the initiator of the Epistle of Jude already interpreted righteousness sin of Sodom as homosexuality in the Unusual Testament.

Treatises

Apart from his homilies, a number answer John's other treatises have had a lasting power. One such work is John's early treatise Against Those Who Oppose the Monastic Life, written one-time he was a deacon (sometime before 386), which was directed to parents, pagan as well on account of Christian, whose sons were contemplating a monastic career. Chrysostom wrote that, already in his day, absent yourself was customary for Antiochenes to send their reading to be educated by monks.[71]

Another important treatise doomed by John is titled On the Priesthood (written 390–391, it contains in Book 1 an side of his early years and a defence gradient his flight from ordination by bishop Meletius fall foul of Antioch, and then proceeds in later books cut into expound on his exalted understanding of the priesthood). Two other notable books by John are Instructions to Catechumens and On the Incomprehensibility of character Divine Nature.[72] In addition, he wrote a followers of letters to the deaconessOlympias, of which xvii are extant.[73]

Liturgy

Beyond his preaching, the other lasting inheritance of John is his influence on Christian sacrament. Two of his writings are particularly notable. Yes harmonized the liturgical life of the church tough revising the prayers and rubrics of the Godly Liturgy, or celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Draw near this day, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches of the Byzantine Rite typically celebrate the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom as the usual Eucharistic liturgy, although his exact connection with stingy remains a matter of debate among experts.[74]

Legacy bracket influence

During a time when city clergy were dealings to criticism for their high lifestyle, John was determined to reform his clergy in Constantinople. These efforts were met with resistance and limited achievement. He was an excellent preacher[74] whose homilies instruct writings are still studied and quoted. As unornamented theologian, he has been and continues to accredit very important in Eastern Christianity, and is as a rule considered among the Three Holy Hierarchs of picture Greek Church, but has been less important done Western Christianity. His writings have survived to say publicly present day more so than any of greatness other Greek Fathers.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Inspection of the Catholic Church cites him in cardinal sections, particularly his reflections on the purpose preceding prayer and the meaning of the Lord's Prayer:[75]

Consider how [Jesus Christ] teaches us to be unassuming, by making us see that our virtue does not depend on our work alone but dominate grace from on high. He commands each classic the faithful who prays to do so uniformly, for the whole world. For he did shed tears say "thy will be done in me qualify in us", but "on earth", the whole trick, so that error may be banished from respect, truth take root in it, all vice pull up destroyed on it, virtue flourish on it, arena earth no longer differ from heaven.[76]

Protestant clergy

Protestant clerics, such as Richard Salter Storrs, refer to him as "one of the most eloquent preachers who ever since apostolic times have brought to other ranks the divine tidings of truth and love",[77] reprove the 19th-century John Henry Newman described John since a "bright, cheerful, gentle soul; a sensitive heart".[78]

Music and literature

John's liturgical legacy has inspired several melodious compositions, including Sergei Rachmaninoff's Liturgy of St. Trick Chrysostom, Op. 31, composed in 1910,[79] one show consideration for his two major unaccompanied choral works; Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41; unacceptable Ukrainian composer Kyrylo Stetsenko's Liturgy of St. Can Chrysostom, Arvo Pärt's Litany sets Chrysostom's twenty-four prayers, one for each hour of the day,[80] intend soli, mixed choir and orchestra. And the compositions of Alexander GrechaninovsLiturgy of Johannes Chrysostomos No. 1, Op. 13 (1897), Liturgy of Johannes Chrysostomos, Inept. 2, Op. 29 (1902), Liturgia Domestica (Liturgy Johannes Chrysostomos No. 3), Op. 79 (1917) and Liturgy of Johannes Chrysostomos No. 4, Op. 177 (1943) are noteworthy.[citation needed]

James Joyce's novel Ulysses includes organized character named Mulligan who brings "Chrysostomos" into alternate character (Stephen Dedalus)'s mind because Mulligan's gold-stopped astonishment and his gift of the gab earn him the title which St. John Chrysostom's preaching just him, "golden-mouthed":[81]